Little boys Need to Grow Up
by l0vetakesnoprisoners
Summary: What I originally wrote for the Masquerade challenge, but submitted something else. JJ's upset about Henry's growing independence and Reid tries to help.


Jennifer Jareau sighed from where she sat slouching on her sofa, elbow on her knee and chin resting the palm of her hand. After choosing to be a villain for Halloween, her son had kicked her out of his bedroom so he could put on his costume alone. Her little boy was growing up so fast. He was only three years old and already exerting his independence.

With another heavy sigh, JJ looked at the cable box which also served as a clock and registered the time. She got up from the sofa and walked up the stairs and down the short hallway to her little boy's room.

When she reached the door, she knocked softly. "Henry? Are you ready for mommy to put your costume makeup on?"

She heard him grunt and some scuffling through the door. "'S not makeup, Mommy! Boys don't not wear makeup!"  
>She chuckled slightly. "It's okay for boys to wear makeup on Halloween, baby boy."<p>

She heard more scuffling. "I not a baby, Mommy!"  
>She sighed sadly. "I know, buddy. Are you ready for the rest of your costume?"<p>

"No."  
>"Do you need help anyway?"<p>

"NO! I do it!"  
>She backed away from the door, her hands up in a sign of surrender, even though Henry couldn't see. "Okay, okay, but you have to hurry up a little, okay? Spencer is going to be here soon and we still have to pay daddy a visit before we go trick-or-treating with Jack, Uncle Aaron, and Aunt Emily, and we have to be at Aunt Penelope's by 9:30 or she'll go nuts."<p>

"Okay, Mommy. I be done soon."  
>She started to walk away, but turned back after three steps. "I love you, Henry," she called out.<p>

"Love you, too, Mommy!" he called back with another grunt.  
>Despite her uneasy feelings about Henry's growing independence, JJ made her way toward the stairs with a smile on her face. When she reached the top of the stairs, there was a knock on the door. Her smile widened.<p>

She opened the door and there stood Spencer Reid, her boyfriend of the past 7 months. She threw open her arms and embraced him. Then, she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Hi," Reid said after their kiss.  
>"Hi," she replied with a smirk.<p>

"Are you ready to go?"  
>She dropped her hands from his shoulder and took his hand in hers. "Let's go see," she instructed, pulling him along as she walked to the stairs.<p>

"Henry's up here?" he asked as they continued their assent.  
>"Yup," she said with a pout. "He wanted to put his costume on by himself."<p>

"You seem upset about that," he noted.  
>She sighed when they reached the top step. "Well, yeah. He's my baby boy and he's growing up too fast."<p>

"You know that Henry is in the correct size range for a 3 year old, right?"  
>"Yes, Spence," she replied with an eye roll, "I know that, but he's only three years old. Three-year-olds should have their moms help them put on Halloween costumes and tuck them in. He's just becoming so independent."<p>

"Well, it's normal for boys Henry's age to want to experience some independence."  
>"I don't want him to grow up."<p>

"That's completely illogic-…" he trailed off upon seeing JJ's glare.  
>"I don't care how illogical it is. I don't want my baby boy to grow up."<p>

Spencer, sensing JJ's mood changing, abruptly changed the subject when they reached Henry's door. "So, what is Henry going to be?"

JJ opened her mouth to answer, but Henry's small voice yelled from inside the room. "Don't not tell him, Mommy! It's a surprise!"

"You heard him. My lips are sealed," she smirked with a knowing look. She then made a locking motion on her lips with her thumb and forefinger.  
>Spencer laughed. "Okay, okay. Henry are you almost ready, buddy?"<p>

"Yeah, I need mommy! Mommy, I ready!"  
>"He's ready?" Reid asked, scrunching his face in confusion. "He said he wasn't."<p>

"He's ready for me to put the finishing touches on his costume," JJ informed him with a smile, "I'll just be a minute." She opened Henry's door just wide enough so she could slip into his room and closed it as soon as she was completely inside.

Spencer waited patiently for the few minutes that JJ did whatever she needed for Henry's costume, and soon enough JJ came out.

"Where's Henry?" Spencer asked when he saw her leave the door open just a crack.  
>"Henry says that you have to close your eyes before he can come out," she replied with a giggle.<p>

"Okay," he agreed with a smile, and closed his eyes.  
>"Ready?" Henry called from behind the door.<p>

"Yes," Spencer answered.  
>"Mommy?"<p>

"Yes, Henry, his eyes are closed."  
>"'Kay!" he shouted as he jumped out of his room. "Tada!"<p>

Spencer opened his eyes and couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Henry in his Joker's costume, the Joker from batman, not to be confused with the guys on the unused cards or a jester, which Henry had to clarify every time since his mother had initially gotten confused when he asked to be the Joker.

Henry glared at Reid and crossed his arms.

"What's wrong, Henry?" he asked once he managed to calm himself down.  
>"I the Joker! You not supposed to laugh at the Joker. He the bad guy!"<p>

"I wasn't laughing at your costume choice, buddy. You just look funny in it."

Spencer's explanation did not aid his cause, and Henry glared even harder. Reid looked to JJ for some help, but she leaned against the wall with a smug look on her face.

"I not funny; I evil!"  
>"I don't mean that you look funny. I mean that you look different. I can't even tell that it's you."<p>

Henry seemed to accept this rather quickly and smiled. "'Kay," he shouted, running down the hall, and slowing at the stairs when JJ yelled for him to be careful.

JJ walked over to Spencer and hugged his torso, her cheek resting on his chest. He draped his arms loosely over her.

"You see how he's growing up to fast," she mumbled, her voice muffled.  
>"It's okay, Jayje. Every little boy has to grow up eventually."<p>

"I know," she replied with a sad sigh. "I just miss him being little and needing me for everything, you know?"  
>He sighed contentedly. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll be used to it the next time around."<p>

JJ smiled. Did he just say he wanted to have a baby with her in the future?

"MOMMY! UNCA SPENCER! LET'S GO! WE GONNA BE LATE!"  
>Spencer kissed the top of her head. "I guess we've got to go. The Joker says so."<p>

JJ laughed. "Yeah, I guess so," she responded, following him down the stairs with a content smile on her face.


End file.
